English top Super Middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz is in a great position to choose his path between three organizations to a possible world title.
England’s Hamzah Sheeraz has multiple world title options to choose from at super middleweight And, while weighing his options carefully, he apparently wants an unbeaten showdown against Mexican American rising star Diego Pacheco for the vacant WBO belt.
The World Boxing Organization world title became available late in 2025 following the retirement of legend Terence Crawford, and thus, opening the door for a new champion to be crowned.
The WBO has purse a bid scheduled for January 19th, which is expected to provide greater clarity on whether the Sheeraz–Pacheco fight will move forward? The outcome of that process should determine both the promotional rights and the likelihood of the bout being finalized.
Sheeraz’s manager, Spencer Brown, told IFL TV that while the WBO title fight is a strong option, the team would also consider an alternative route- a fight with Canada’s undefeated Christian Mbilli. He's the current WBC "interim" super middleweight champion after they stripped Crawford of his portion of the 168 lb. titles. Brown suggested that Mbilli represents a compelling and straightforward choice for Sheeraz
“I think the Mbilli fight is the obvious option for Hamzah,” Brown said, but stopping short of saying that it's THE fight that they prefer.
Meantime, the 26 year old Sheeraz’s promoter, Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions, has made it clear that the WBO strap remains the priority. According to Warren, Sheeraz has long viewed the WBO championship as his preferred path to becoming a full world champion, and the current landscape presents the opportunity to secure it.
Sheeraz, 22-0-1 (18 KOs), is currently ranked No. 3 by the WBO, trailing only former undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), and Pacheco, 25-0 (18 KOs). However, Canelo is recovering from surgery and is not eligible to compete on the timeline for the vacant title. His absence leaves Pacheco and Sheeraz as the two highest-ranked available contenders, effectively positioning them for a head-to-head battle for the WBO's championship.
The 25-year-old Sheeraz had momentum last Summer, while coming off an impressive fifth-round whipping and knockout victory over fellow top contender, Edgar Berlanga in July. Berlanga had credibility as a fighter who had challenged Alvarez for a world title in 2024 and lost by decision. The eye opening KO in Queens, New York, significantly raised Sheeraz’s profile on the global stage for super middleweights.
The 24 year old Pacheco, by contrast, had just an "okay" 2025, earning three decision victories over Steven Nelson, Trevor McCumby, and late in the year over Kevin Lele Sadjo. While he remained unbeaten, his performances were widely viewed as underwhelming. He was actually knocked down by the veteran Sadjo before rallying to secure a unanimous decision in December.
If for some reason the Sheeraz-Pacheco bout cannot be finalized, the IBF has Sheeraz positioned for a potential shot against their now top-ranked super middleweight, Cuban contender Osleys Iglesias. However, Iglesias isn't as polished or had any significant fights to help with the appeal like Pacheco would.
Still, with multiple sanctioning bodies already courting him, Sheeraz is in a good position and now, we find out if the Pacheco fight comes to fruition.